Format a resume … with a Word template

If you’ve pulled out your resume recently, you know that formatting a resume in Word can be, well, tricky. Manual formatting problems could be a signal that it’s time to give your resume a rehaul; I recommend starting fresh with a free Word resume template.

Bold headings, paragraph indentations, italization for emphasis, and bulleted lists are a few formatting options that you might be struggling with as you revise your resume. According to resume expert Karen Hofferber, you should update your resume at least once a year, but I don’t need to tell you that manual formatting can turn that annual chore into a spectacular headache, especially if you’re reformatting the resume you originally created in Microsoft Word 2000.

You can find literally dozens of free resume templates on Office.com, from resumes designed for a specific job industry such as nursing to resumes that highlight relevant experience for making a career change.

A pre-formatted resume template does all of the heavy lifting for you. Simply choose a template, download it to your computer, and replace the sample information with your own professional experience. You’ll still need to make those annual updates, but a well-formatted, well-designed template saves you time and energy that most of us would prefer to spend doing almost anything besides fiddling with our resume.

Developing and updating a resume that reflects your unique experiences is an art form.

— Leslie Cole